Takeaways from Missouri volleyball’s first two tournaments

After two home court tournaments, the Mizzou Classic and the Tiger Invitational, Missouri volleyball heads away for their next three games and will face their first conference opponent in Tennessee on Sept. 20. Maneater Sports writers Grace Ainger and Iain Ruge present an assessment of what went well for the team in their first two tournaments and what they can do to improve for future opponents: 

Ability to Finish 

In the Mizzou Classic, Missouri’s first tournament of the season with new head coach Dawn Sullivan, we learned about MU’s ability to effectively finish games. Even when they would go down and lose a set, they had the ability to come right back and win. 

In the game against Illinois State, the Tigers had a hot finish to the game and won 3-1. Then in the Central Arkansas game, MU  made what seemed to be an impossible comeback, winning three sets in a row to take the game. The game against Colgate was a lot more of a fight than the other two, but Missouri showed heart in that game and won while under pressure. When looking at powerful SEC teams such as Alabama and Louisiana State University, having heart and an ability to grind out a game to the last point will be key for wins.

Struggles Starting

Despite the Tiger’s finishing ability, they had trouble starting sets. In every game, the opponent would reach the five point mark before Missouri. While MU came and won each game, they struggled to gain the momentum needed to win. This made the team appear stressed and disorganized at times. Once conference play begins, staying organized and getting momentum early will become crucial.

Little Mistakes

The Tigers showed a lot of promise in the Tiger Invitational tournament, but minor flaws interfered with the team’s ability to perform. Missouri struggled to get the ball over the net while serving in multiple games, allowing the opponents free points and forfeiting the Tiger’s momentum. There were also multiple times where the defense appeared completely disoriented. This caused situations where nobody went for the ball. It also caused easy flaws like simple hitting errors. While these were all little mistakes, they added up and the Tigers won’t get away with plays like that in the tough SEC conference.

Key Players

Junior setter Jordan Iliff had an amazing tournament and was a massive contributor to MU’s success in this tournament. Along with her 52 kills during the Mizzou Classic, she had three blocks and was on the court when needed the most. 

Graduate student hitter Dilara Gedikoglu was another big performer for the Tigers. She had 45 kills and 33 digs for Missouri throughout the series, playing a key part for Missouri’s success.

Tiger Invitational

The Tiger Invite gave Missouri its first two sweeps and its first loss. The Tigers improved on certain struggles from the first tournament, but their game against third ranked Louisville shined a light on glaring problems.

Control from the Start

One of Missouri’s struggles in the Mizzou Classic was their inability to gain control of a set. The Tigers allowed their opponents —  Illinois State and Central Arkansas specifically —  to rack up offensive momentum early. In turn, Missouri had to work much harder to overcome its opponents. However, in the Tiger Invitational they significantly improved by gaining immediate control in both the South Dakota and Northern Kentucky games. Despite the loss against Louisville, Missouri was still able to gain control in the third set and disrupt Louisville’s control. When looking at SEC opponents, specifically the highly ranked Arkansas and Florida teams, Missouri should focus on their ability to gain control through consistent defense and big kills for their team early in the game. 

Easy Errors

While errors are a regular part of the game, too many of them can make for a long night. Missouri struggled in the invitational, constantly making serving and out-of-system errors. Against Northern Kentucky, the Tigers made 11 service errors in a single set. In the Louisville game, the Tigers struggled to control the Cardinals’ powerful serves, forcing them out-of-system often, especially in the first set. 

Shining Defense

Missouri’s offense is incredibly strong. With players like Iliff and Gedikoglu knocking down double digit kills in almost every game, Missouri’s front line is the leading reason for the team’s success this season. However, the defense is something Missouri needs to continue to focus on improving. Individual players like sophomore libero Maya Sands and freshman setter Sierra Dudley led the defensive charge, but the team as a whole was not consistent enough. Louisville’s offense pounded balls to the ground sending Missouri into defensive scrambles often. If the Tigers improve their consistency on digs, blocks and defense as a whole, they’ll stand up nicely against big opponents.

Key Players

Junior middle Morgan Isenberg had a killer game against South Dakota, producing five kills and nine out of the team’s 12 blocks. Her strength on the front line is evident and will be important moving forward for the Tigers. 

Dudley had another successful tournament. She gained 72 assists over the three games and knocked in three kills against the tough Louisville opponent. Though Dudley is a freshman, she has proven how integral she is to the front lines. 

Sands also proved her worth in the defensive field, racking up 15 digs against both Northern Kentucky and Louisville. She also knocked down three aces against South Dakota, a season best so far. If Sands continues to make the defensive opportunities in the future, the Tigers will have huge success. 

This was the first series of tournaments for Missouri. The Tigers participated in the Xavier Tournament in Cincinnati Sept. 8-9. Missouri faced off against Buffalo, Bellarmine and Xavier in the tournament and will start conference play on Sept. 20 against Tennessee in Knoxville.

Edited by Chase Gemes | cgemes@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com